Kids Playing Camp

Kids Playing Camp, founded in 2001, operates from Northeastern Illinois University's facilities and serves children kindergarten through seventh grade. The camp runs four sessions between mid-June and late July, with daily activities from 8:00 AM to 3:15 PM. Programming includes traditional sports like soccer, basketball, volleyball, and swimming alongside non-competitive activities like art projects, engineering challenges, science experiments, cooking, and outdoor nature education. Special theme days occur each Wednesday (past themes include Olympic Day, Color Wars, and Superhero Day), and "Out of the Box" activities introduce campers to new experiences weekly. The camp offers separate programs: a general K-5th grade program, "No Limits" for 6th-7th grade girls, "Out of Bounds" for 6th-7th grade boys, and a Leaders in Training program for entering 8th graders. All activities are led by college coaches and trained staff who emphasize learning over competition, with focus on teaching life skills like respect, diversity, acceptance, and kindness.